Fragile Strength
by girlperson2235
Summary: Buttercup breaks her leg in battle. But being the tough one, she doesn't want anyone to know she's in any pain. Can a broken leg soften a tough heart?
1. A Broken Leg, NOT a Broken Reputation

**Yay! A Powerpuff Story! I finally was able to work on an idea :) Well...not much to say...uh...yeah...I hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Powerpuff Girls. They were created by Craig McCracken.**

_**Fragile Strength  
**__**By girlperson2235**_

**Chapter 1: A Broken Leg, NOT a Broken Reputation**

The City of Townsville..._is under attack!_

"Buttercup! Look out!"

Another giant monster was terrorizing the town, the third one that day. With its large tail and orange scales, the monster unleashed its terror on Townsville. Buildings crumbled. People tumbled. It was a total disaster. Adrenaline flashing in her eyes, Buttercup charged towards the monster at full speed, "I can take him down!"

Aiming for the monster's tail, Buttercup stomped on it with great force then grabbed hold. It let out a screech of pain and anger as it began to thrash around. The green Powerpuff held on for dear life, grunting and shouting, trying to take control.

Bubbles gasped at the sight and began to zip over to her sister's aid, "I've got you, Buttercup!"

But it was too late. Buttercup lost her grip and was sent flying into a nearby lampost. With a thud and a crack, her impact bent the lampost while her left leg twisted around it. Then, with a swift tumble, she toppled to the ground. Groaning in pain, Buttercup tried to get up, but to avail, _What's going on?_ She tried to move just her left leg, but a surge of pain ripped through her leg. Buttercup let out a cry of pain and gritted her teeth to suppress it.

Hearing the commotion, Bubbles and Blossom diverted their attention from the menace to their fallen sister.

"Buttercup! Are you ok?"

"Are you hurt bad?"

Buttercup gasped at her sisters concern, _Oh no! I can't let my sisters see me like this! _She forced a smirk and looked up at Blossom and Bubbles, "I'll be fine! I gotta regain my momentum, girls!"

Nodding in understading, the blue and pink Powerpuffs dove at the monster again with a fit of fury.

Buttercup hovered slightly off the ground, _Ok, Buttercup. If you just keep hovering the whole day, you should have no problems and the pain will go away. I'm the toughest fighter. I'm the tough one. This is nothing to me..._

Blossom froze the monster in place with her ice breath, "Take 'em outta here, Bubbles!"

Bubbles dashed to the monster's tail and began to swing it around and around. Reaching the highest speed she could, Bubbles released the monster, sending it flying into the Townsville Bay.

Buttercup finally rejoined her sisters, "Good job, you guys!"

Bubbles gazed at her green-clad sister with concern, "How are you doing? Are you-"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine!" Buttercup interjected. She folded her arms in an attempt to strike some sort of triumphant pose, "I'm not a sissy! That was just a scratch!"

Blossom smiled in relief, "Ok, girls! That looks like it for now!"

Bubbles giggled, "Yay! The Professor's making cookies today! Let's go!"

And with a quick dash, Bubbles and Blossom set off for home. Buttercup, however, remained floating where she was. And then after a slight hesitation, she flew off after her sisters at a much slower pace. Her thoughts began to race through her brain. And though all of the thoughts were worded differently, they all said the same thing, _What am I going to do?  
_

**That's it for Chapter 1! Stay tuned for Chapter 2...coming as soon as I can find time to write it XD  
Don't worry, it's going to become more emotional as the story continues, I promise.**


	2. Hidden Pain

**Here we go! Another chapter! Oh!  
****Thanks goes out to my first reviewer!**

**-To "Someone": If you mean the Pokey Oaks Fanfic Library, then no I haven't written for Pokey Oaks (but I love the stories there ). Sorry to mislead you with my writing style. :) I'm glad you're interested in my story, though. Thanks again for reviewing!**

**And now without further ado...**

**Chapter 2: Hidden Pain**

Afternoon quickly came as the girls arrived home. Blossom and Bubbles flung the door wide open, "We're home, Professor!"

Professor smiled at them and got up to give them a warm, fatherly hug, "I'm so glad you're back so early! What's the occasion?"

Bubbles giggled, "Cookies!"

"Oh! That's right!" Professor laughed, "Hey! Where's Buttercup?"

As if on cue, Buttercup floated through the door with a limp disposition. She moaned slightly. Blossom looked at her sister with concern, "Where were you, Buttercup?"

"I decided to take my time today."

"But you always try to get home first!" Bubbles pointed out, "There's something wro--"

"NOTHING IS WRONG! GEEZ, GIVE IT A BREAK ALREADY!"

And with that, she turned her back to them and floated slowly up the stairs. Reaching the bedroom, she settled down on her side of the bed, _I can't go on like this. I have to tell them sooner or later._

She then thought about those days. The days when a portion of her softer side was exposed. All she remebered from those days was her sisters' laughter, their teasing, the humiliation, and the defeat...

_"That's silly! You don't need a stinky old blanket to fight!"_

_"That's not you're real blanket! That's just a fake blanket I found to get you through the fight! And since you fought just as well, it obviously worked!"_

_"Yeah!"_

Buttercup growled at the thoughts, _I am a tough fighter! I'll show them! I'll get through this broken leg like it's nothing! They'll see that nothing weakens the toughest fight-_

Without a warning, Blossom zipped into the room, snapping Buttercup out of her thoughts, "Come on! We're gonna do a few rounds in the training room! That outta get you pumped up!"

Buttercup forced a smirked, "I'll be right there, Red!"

Making her way slugglishly into the Professor's lab, Buttercup soon came face to face with the training room. Professor smiled and greeted her, "Ready, Buttercup?"

"You bet, Professor!" Buttercup joined her sisters in the training room.

Professor Utonium began punching in codes, his fingers leaping from button to button, "Ready? Here you go!"

The girls glanced around the white walls. And berfore they knew it, the setting had transformed into a wide ocean. Suddenly, a water sepant emerged from the surface, bearing its sharp fangs. Waisting no time, Blossom leaped into the air and shouted her command, "Girls! Attack plan Rho G-23! Go!"

"I can't do that!" Buttercup protested, remembering how many loops and turns that plan consisted of.

"And why not?!"

The green girl quickly caught her mistake, _That was a close one. _"Uh...you _know_ I prefer the hands-on approach!"

Blossom turned red with rage, "Come on, Buttercup! Not _this _again! Fine. Let's go, Bubbles!"

Blossom and Bubbles executed a variety of loops and spins, diving and soaring through the air. And then, catching the monster off guard, the blue and pink Powerpuffs plunged right into the monster's stomach. A loud screech filled the air as the serpant reeled back in pain. The monster soon recoiled into the water.

"Yeah!" Blossom turned to Buttercup with a smirk, "Brains, Buttercup. Brains."

Not responding any further, Buttercup began to zap the ocean with her laser eyes. As the ocean began to heat up and boil, the monster leaped out in pain from the scorching pain. Buttercup quickly rubbed her hands (mitts...err...I dunno...whatever they are) together until a fireball ignited between them. And then, with all the strength she could muster, Buttercup hurled the fireball at monster and knocked him back into the water. After a second or so, the environment faded back into the usual white walls with the same blue lines.

The girls floated out of the training room, Buttercup the most confident of them all. Professor applauded his girls' performance, "Wonderful, girls! I can see you've all been improving! And Buttercup, that was very unexpecting of you to attack using your lasers first!"

"I just needed some practice using my lasers this time. That's all."

Blossom gave Buttercup a suspicious look, mixed with annoyance, "Funny idea coming from someone who always prefers 'the hands-on approach'."

"Now, now, girls. Let's not fight," Professor tried his best to extinguish the flames before they started to grow, "Why don't we bake those cookies now!"

"Yay!" Bubbles quickly dashed upstairs followed by Blossom. Buttercup, however, stayed behind. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes in, what appeared to be, exhaustion and pain.

_What's wrong with you, my dear little Buttercup?_ Professor gazed at his green-eyed daughter with concern flashing in his eyes and compassion raging through his heart. _Why are you always so tough? I know, it's who you are, but sometimes I wish you could just throw that all aside and be the sweet girl I know you can be. _Professor's heart soon felt the feeling of determination. He was going to do anything to crack the hard, cold shield that Buttercup had put up around her for so long.

**Yay! Chapter 2 is finally up! I'm so sorry I didn't put it up sooner, but I just have too much to do right now:(  
****Hopefully I can get the next chapter up faster. And if I don't, then I guess it means either:**

**A.) I'm working really hard on it and revising it a bazillion times.  
****B.) I have no time XD**


	3. Exposed

﻿ 

**Here's the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who likes it! And yes, I received some flames and nitpicks. But, oh well. You can't please everyone : )  
****Sorry it took so long. But without further ado...  
****  
****Chapter 3: Exposed**

_"Brains!"_

_"Brawn!"_

_"Brains!"_

_"Brawn!"_

_"It's the brains, and I'll prove it to you!"_

_"Oh no you don't! You're not stealing all the glory!"_

_-----_

_"Come on in Buttercup!"_

_"The water's fine!"_

_"Don't you know that only big fat sissies take baths?!"_

_-----_

_I am __not__ scared! I am __never__ scared!_

_-----_

_Oh yeah? I'll show __**you!**_

-----

"...stinky old blanket..."

----

"Buttercup? Buttercup, are you alright?"

Buttercup snapped out of her thoughts, "Oh. Hey, Professor! Yeah, I'm fine! Today's got me kinda worked out. Just tired is all."

Professor faintly smiled at her response, "Well, why don't you rest while baking cookies? That should take your mind off of the day's troubles."

"Ok."

Slowly making their way into the kitchen, Professor and Buttercup sat at the table. Bubbles was kneeding the dough while Blossom preheated the oven. Noticing Buttercup's presence, Bubbles flew over to Buttercup and gave her some flattened cookie dough and a cookie cutter, "Do you want to help?"

"Sure.," Buttercup busied herself stamping out the cookies, _As long as I don't have to move._ And at lightning fast speed, she was done, "Ok! Can someone put the cookies in the oven now?"

"Come on, Buttercup! Can't you just stand up put the cookies in the oven? We're all busy doing something else!" Blossom glared impaciently.

"Well I like this spot! I'm not moving!" Buttercup's stamped the cookie cutter at a faster rate, dicing the cookies she had already cut into tinier pieces.

With a deep sigh, Professor continued mixing the extra cookie dough, "Buttercup, could you please put the cookies into the oven for _me_?"

In a flash, Buttercup shot her laser eye beams at the cookies on her tray, making them black and crispy. Buttercup innocently smiled at the Professor, "All done, Professor!"

Rolling his eyes, the Professor stomped over to her while reaching his hands out to her, "Buttercup! There's only one way to punish you now."

Buttercup howled in laughter as Professor began tickling her under her arms and then her sides. However, that laughter was cut short. Unable to bear the pain anymore, Buttercup screeched in pain, "Ow! AHH!" Toppling to the floor, she grasped her leg as tears streamed down her face. She was exposed.

Professor quickly rushed to help her, "Are you ok, honey? What's going on?"

_I have no choice, _Buttercup bit her lip in defeat and pain, "I...I broke my leg when fighting the monster today," she clenched her teeth as the pain ripped through her like a flaming knife.

Blossom was freaking out, concern splashed on her face, "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Now now, we don't need to jump all over her. Right now is not a good time," Professor picked Buttercup up in his arms, "Let's go to my lab. I'm pretty sure I can fix her up there."

Just then, the hotline rang. Blossom dashed over to it and scooped up the receiver, "Yes, Mayor? A robbery? We'll be right there!"

Bubbles looked at her afflicted sister, "But what about Buttercup?"

The green Powerpuff struggled to sit up in the Professor's arms, "I can go! I'm tough! I can take him d-OW!" She grasped her leg.

Professor shook his head, "No, Buttercup. You have to rest. Blossom and Bubbles will take care of it."

Blossom nodded in agreement, "You bet! Take care of her, Professor!"

"Get better, Buttercup!"

They flung the front door open and took off to the skies. Back at home, Buttercup frowned in embarrasment and in pain, "I know. I pulled a stupid stunt, didn't I?"

"Well, I wouldn't say 'stupid'. I would say 'reckless'. Why didn't you let us know sooner?"

Entering the lab, Professor quickly, but gently set Buttercup down on a small experiment table. Tears were starting to form in the green Powerpuff's eyes. She searched desperately in her mind for an answer. And taking a deep breath, she began to open up her heart and mind to the one person she knew she could trust, "Professor, I really don't know how to answer," she lowered her head to look away from him, "Heh. I'm sure smartypants Blossom would know what to say. And bubbly Bubbles would just chatter away exactly how she feels. Just more great qualities _they _have that _I _don't."

Professor listened intently as the foggy parts of Buttercup were finally beginning to clear up.

Buttercup scoffed, "Everyone loves them for the special little girls they are. And me? Well, everyone nags me to be more like _them._ No one notices me for who I _am_. They only notice what I'm _not. _I'm the tough tomboy with no feelings! Is that what everyone expects of me? Is that who I have to be in everyone's eyes? Well, NEWS FLASH! This just in! I have feelings, too!"

The pain of the broken leg surged through her again and she moaned in agony. Professor was absolutely speechless, "I-I didn't know."

"Nobody knew. Nobody cared to."

Professor thought for a minute, then finally responded to her sad demeanor, "We should probably get that fixed."

"My leg?"

Professor planted a gentle kiss on Buttercup's forehead, "...and your broken heart..."

**Well, almost done! I guess that this is almost the end! I kinda thought about what one of my reviewers said about Buttercup not telling them right away about her broken leg. I dunno. Maybe she would have. Then again, she is a superhero with superpowers and can probably stand the pain a bit more than we can. Oh well, I've gotten so far into the story already! So I might as well finsh. At least Buttercup didn't wait a week until she told them. Now that would have been really unrealistic. ; )**


End file.
